April 20, 2009

History teaches us that inhumanity and intolerance thrive in silence. Today, on Holocaust Memorial Day, we remember those who were lost to us, and recall a dark time that changed the world as we knew it.

Every year, people gather together, in Canada, in Europe, in Israel, and around the world, lifting their voices in unison to decry hate and to celebrate freedom. For nearly 60 years, Jewish people around the world have marked this day as Yom Hashoah, Hebrew for Day of Destruction. It is a time not only to remember the horrors that were visited on humanity, but also to recall with pride the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The Jewish inhabitants of the ghetto rose up against those who had imprisoned them for so long. Although they were not successful at liberating their people, their bravery and their willingness to fight for freedom and for life was an inspiration to those who lived in fear. They were silent no longer and showed that their spirit could not be broken. In this way, we observe Yom Hashoah as both a sombre occasion and a chance to celebrate heroism.

I am so proud to live in a country where people have the freedom to speak up and fight back against indifference. Six million Jews may have lost their lives to hate, but today, people of all faiths and all backgrounds can join as one to say that we will suffer inequality no longer.

I hope that we can use this day to renew our commitment to breaking down the barriers that exist and to work towards a free and equal society for everyone.

Michaëlle Jean

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Media Information:
Marie-Ève Létourneau
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-0287
www.gg.ca
www.citizenvoices.gg.ca